What Are The Treatments For Type 2 Diabetes?

February 22, 2012

treatments for type 2 diabetesIf you’ve been told by your doctor that you have type 2 diabetes, you probably were prescribed some form of medication. In fact, treatments for type 2 diabetes in most cases usually start with drugs right away. Some of the doctors that I have worked with will give a patient a chance to try to change their diet and exercise only to add drugs by the next office visit.

If you’re like most people, you probably went online and checked out the drugs that your doctor prescribed for you. And I’m sure you have read about the side effects. It seems like they’re endless these days for just about all of the drugs.

For the purpose of this article, I’m going to help you with what are two of the most common treatments for type 2 diabetes – Metformin and insulin. Not only are they very common, but they’ve been around forever.

Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes Explained

Metformin

The most common drug for type 2 diabetes is Metformin (Glucophage). The drug Metformin is in the Biguanide class of drugs. This drug is usually the first drug a doctor will prescribe. This drug helps to reduce the amount of sugar that your liver is producing. I’m sure you’re probably thinking, “More sugar.” Well yes, your liver produces sugar. And this is only problematic when you’re type 2 diabetic and things are all out of whack.

Normally your body produces sugar when you’re in the fasting state. But with type 2 diabetes, your body is tricked to think that you’re always in the fasting state even though you could have just eaten. This is because your cells can’t get the sugar in the form of glucose that they need for energy.

Insulin

Insulin these days has really gotten a bad rap. Decades ago when insulin was first discovered, it was a lifesaver for type 1 diabetics who require it to survive. Nowadays, many type 2 diabetics need insulin early on. And this is due to high blood sugar levels. In most cases, insulin is prescribed to get sky-high blood sugar down.

The job of insulin is to mimic a normal pancreas. But because of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetics usually require a whole lot more insulin than a normal pancreas would need to produce. And insulin is usually needed to cover meals and in between meals. So it is very common for someone with type 2 diabetes to need multiple shots of insulin in a given day.

Today, there are more classes of drugs for type 2 diabetes than ever before. And more are popping up it seems all the time. Just about all of the drugs out there all aim to lower blood sugar. Whether it is by, getting your pancreas to secrete more insulin or reduce insulin resistance.

Either way, the goal is to help lower your blood sugar. Doctors will either combine 2 or 3 medications including insulin or use only one drug, but at the end of the day it all comes down to how well your blood sugar is controlled.

Metformin Side Effects

The only problem with drugs is that these treatments aren’t free of side effects. Metformin has side effects which include severe gastrointestinal side effects, and a rare condition known as lactic acidosis which is fatal in 50% of the people who get it.

Insulin Side Effects

Insulin therapy also has some drawbacks. These include weight gain, and insulin use can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar which can be severe).

The best way to go is a customized plan for controlling your blood sugar naturally. To get started with your own customized plan you need to grab my Master Your Diabetes program. In Master Your Diabetes, you’ll learn how to normalize your blood sugar even if it’s in the 400’s.

Click here to master your diabetes now…

Prior to using any of this information, please consult with your doctor.

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5 Common Warning Signs of Diabetes in Women

February 6, 2012

signs of diabetes in womenType 2 diabetes in many ways is like a silent assassin. In fact, people don’t even die from type 2 diabetes, but the complications of it. And the truth is the warning signs of diabetes in women can be so subtle that they go unnoticed for years.

Not to mention, they can start off as minor things and over the years start to feel normal. Many women go on for years living with type 2 diabetes and don’t even know it. Usually a routine physical is when many women find out that they have problems with their blood sugar levels.

Warning Signs of Diabetes in Women Explained

There aren’t any major differences between men and women when it comes to signs of diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes

One sign of diabetes that is unique to women is if a woman had gestational diabetes during pregnancy. And although this is more of a risk factor per say that she’ll develop type 2 diabetes in the next several years, I consider it to be a sign. The reason for this is because 50% of women with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes 5-10 years later.

Not only does gestational diabetes put a woman at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, it also sets her unborn child up for type 2 diabetes in the future. In fact, a fetus starts producing its own insulin in the second trimester. So all that extra insulin on board, which a woman will need (medical term hyperinsulinemia) to control elevated blood sugar is problematic for the fetus.

Numbness and Tingling

Of most of the women that I have spoken with through my work in the industry, it seems that I hear numbness as one of the early signs of diabetes a lot. I’ll hear a woman say,” I had this tingling feeling in my feet, but I just assumed I was tired since I had been walking a lot.”

Well this can be a sign because type 2 diabetes creates all kind of circulation problems. And over the course of a few years this can be a big problem and your poor feet don’t stand a chance.

Low Energy

Another sign if you will, is low energy. I’ve heard women say that they are always tired and just didn’t have any energy. This is because of insulin resistance which makes it hard for glucose to get into the cells of your body.

So with all that extra sugar floating around in your bloodstream and not able to get into your cells you don’t have energy. Glucose gives your cells the energy they need.

Extreme Hunger

Extreme hunger is another big one. I’ve heard this one probably the most. If you feel hungry it is another case of your cells starving again. When you’re cells are resistant to insulin they can get the energy you need so this will create hunger. In many cases even though you’ve just ate.

Some other common signs of diabetes are excessive thirst, having to urinate often and blurred vision.

If you have been experiencing some of these warning signs you need to go and talk with your doctor. If your doctor has in fact told you that you have type 2 diabetes, you really need to grab my master your diabetes course. In master your diabetes, you’ll learn how to get off the diabetes diet rollercoaster that so many gurus preach about, how to get off the drugs, and how to conquer type 2 diabetes!

Click here now to master your diabetes…

Prior to using any of this material, please consult with your physician.

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What’s The Best Diet For Diabetes?

February 5, 2012

There are so many so-called diets for type 2 diabetes on the market today. Even if you ask your doctor what’s the best diet for diabetes, you might get an answer that will surprise you. But ultimately, what REALLY is the best diet for type 2 diabetes? Well my answer is, it depends. And before [...]

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How To Get Off Insulin For Type 2 Diabetes

January 31, 2012

Nowadays, with so many drugs having severe side effects, insulin has become the go-to therapy for many doctors who treat type 2 diabetes. But if you want to get off insulin and you’re type 2 diabetic, there are several things that you should know. First, before I talk about insulin, it is important that I [...]

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What Causes Diabetes Type 2?

January 14, 2012

Type 2 diabetes is a condition that is very misunderstood. And when trying to figure out what causes diabetes type 2, one must understand several key factors. And once you understand these factors, in my opinion, you have the answer on how to control or even conquer type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes refers to [...]

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Diabetes And Ginseng

January 8, 2012

There have been numerous natural remedies that have been used and widely studied to improve type 2 diabetes. And Ginseng for diabetes has been shown in studies to have a beneficial effect on blood sugar control. Ginseng is the combination of three herbs: Chinese, Korean, or Japanese; American; and Siberian. All three of these are [...]

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What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

December 27, 2011

When answering the question – what is type 2 diabetes, I think it is important to give some background information on diabetes so that you can get the big picture. So before I talk specifically about type 2 diabetes, first, let me explain what diabetes is all about. Diabetes, termed Diabetes mellitus, is a disease [...]

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Diabetes Carb Counting For Type 2 Diabetics

November 29, 2011

I get asked a lot – what are the right amount of carbs for type 2 diabetics? And my question is always the same…it depends. Diabetes carb counting isn’t the end all be all. It’s only a piece of the puzzle for type 2 diabetes. And for the most part, I don’t believe in a [...]

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Chromium And Diabetes

November 20, 2011

Here’s a video on chromium and diabetes. In this video, you’ll discover: What chromium is How it affects type 2 diabetes Some of the best dietary sources of chromium Which form of of chromium is best – chromium polynicotinate, chromium picolinate or chromium chloride (find out the winner) The recommended dosage of chromium If you’re [...]

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World Diabetes Day – November 14th

November 9, 2011

World Diabetes Day is November 14th and every year on this day the purpose is to raise global awareness about diabetes. It’s a great time to not only raise awareness of diabetes, but for health-care professionals to show their commitment to the patients they serve who are living with diabetes. On this day, the diabetes community [...]

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